Sketch Saturday 37 + Cupcake 25 colour challenge

I've made this card following this week's Sketch Saturday 37:


I've also followed the colours given for Cupcake challenge 25:


I used HOTP papers (from the Cardmaker's Floral ultimate pad again), cutting out the layers on my cricut. The middle circle was stamped using a stamp I received from Paula recently as part of her give-aways to raise money to sponsor her moonwalk - for more information and to support Paula please have a look at her blog where you will find details of how you can donate and also have the opportunity to win some crafty goodies. Poundland gems were added at the corners and centre.

Forever friends: tall and thin (+ oriental)

I missed last week's challenge on Forever Friends, which as 'oriental', so I've combined it with this week's, which is 'tall and thin'. I used to make quite a lot of this type of card, but haven't done so for a long time now, so it made a change.

Bakcground paper and strips are Kanban; the forever friend stamp was embossed with detail powder and coloured with copics.
I was going to also link this as another card for the DCM 'oriental splendour' challenge, but then realised that it has got some black in it (but not much).

DCM: oriental splendour

On DCM this week the subject is 'Oriental Splendour', but Sue has said that there must be no red or black. I think my card qualifies, with the yellowy beige and purple colours of the Kanban papers, with the gold embossing of the stamped image and sentiments:

Inchy by inch: winter (revisited!)

I admit that with my first attempt for this week's Inchy by inch challenge I cheated and made a couple of twinchies.

So I've revisited the challenge and I cropped and resized down part of one of my snowy pictures taken in the garden early this week - and added the 'Summerhouse in Winter' text. This is the inchie scanned in real size:



Just so you can see it a bit more, here it is blown up to a bigger size user the scanner, but it does lose some of its resolution, so is a lot crisper in the inchie size:

I think a few snippets of photos like this might work well on Christmas cards - sort of make a serendipity of snow scenes.

UKStampers 24: postcard from Australia

I know that I'm late with this one, but I ordered the koala and kangaroo stamps specially and they didn't arrive in time to do this challenge. I used a rubbadubbadoo stamp that I got with a giraffe one to stamp the leaves randomly over and over again, placing the koala within them (sorry, not very clear on the scan). The kangaroo was coloured with copics and the G Day is PM alphabet stickers. The background paper is K & Co Brenda Walton mira pad:

As I used archival inks (library green for the leaves and sepia for the koala and kangaroo) and also copics, I'm submitting it also for the challenge CBCC079 on CBC: pens, pencils and paints.

UKStampers 25: postcard from Iceland

Having said I'd use my twinchies on a Christmas card, I suddenly remembered UKStampers challenge 25: postcard from Iceland and thought they were appropriate to use on this.

The background has been run through the cuttlebug swiss dots folder and then stamped with a PM stamp and white embossed. Having already embossed the card, I wasn't sure whether the stamping would 'take' but it did (wouldn't have shown up if I hadn't heat embossed).



You can see the UKStampers blog here.

Inchy by inch: winter

The current challenge on Inchy by inch is 'winter'. I have used core'dinations card with cuttlebug embossing folders, distressed with one of my BG precision files.

I have a confession to make, though - these are twinchies, rather than inchies (because of the size of the embossing folders):

I think I'll make some more of these and incorporate them on to Christmas cards. Although I had the embossing folders way before Christmas, I never used them last year.

Inchy by inch: buttons

This one is a week behind with this Inchy by inchy challenge, but I thought I'd still join in, especially as I found this appropriate background paper among my K & Co berry sweet papers.

Irl the buttons are tiny - this really is an inchie, even though it looks bigger here (and you can see traces of the silicone glue, which you can't see irl!):

Clown card

This is a card I've made incorporating the twinchie I made last night for the 'clowns' challenge. The pieces of red/purple backing are DCWV pocket full of posies. The card could have a number added for a child's birthday.

Brown card

This card is for this week's sketch on 2 Sketches 4 You: Kazan's sketch 19:


I've used papers from the unearthed HOTP Cardmaker's Floral pack of papers and stamped with a PM stamp with Brilliance coffee bean; the sentiment is a HOTP stamp. Being brown and incorporating using stamps, this card is right for this week's challenge on Sunday Stamper: brown.

The lace was some I got as part of a group purchase on CBC. Having made a border with this, I'm linking for Theme Thursday challenge: borders.



Once again, the scan is a bit crooked, not the card!

Small World of Inchies & Twinchies: clowns

This is my twinchie for this week's challenge on Small World of Inchies & Twinchies: clowns:

I think I'll use it somehow on a child's card.

"Peace" card

I've now used what I did for the Sunday Postcard Art challenge 'circles', mounted it on card, with the addition of a sentiment:

Apologies that the scan is a bit crooked - the card isn't!

Sunday Postcard art: circles

This is for the 'circles' challenge on Sunday Postcard this week, using a couple of Cuttlebug embossing foldes and a couple of Crafty Individuals miniatures:

Sketch and Colour challenge

For this card I've followed this week's Sketch Saturday 36 (I turned it to the right):

The challenge this week on Magnolia vs Stampavie is a colour challenge using these colours:

The first challenge on JB this month as been set by Bex as a colour challenge, which happens to be pink and green, so this also fits that.

I've used papers and sentiment from a long-neglected pack: HOTP Carmaker's Floral and a Sarah Kay image coloured with copics, with just the addition of one or two pieces of sticky ribbons.

ATCs received

Postie's been (only the second time this week because of the weather). I've received two lots of ATCs from January swaps.

Firstly, 'women' ATCs from Vicki (VeeBee) and Barbara (Crafty Barbie) on CBC:

Secondly, number '9' ATCs from Ellen and Tasha (Chicken Licken) on Tanda:

Thank you, ladies - they are all so beautiful - and thanks, too, to the ladies who hosted the swaps.

Another giraffe

Well, just like the buses - you wait for ages for one to come along and then here comes another! - giraffes, that is!

This time the giraffe is a Sizzix die cut one, using some 'giraffe' print card; Dovecraft papers again. Another one for the Secret Crafter Saturday challenge 17: at the zoo.



The light is so poor that it had to be a flash photo, which, unfortunately, is reflecting on the slightly shiny giraffe.

Tanda Teaser 84 + Secret Crafter 17 + One Stop Craft 14

Wendy's Teaser challenge 84 on Tanda this week is: seeing spots; on the Saturday Challenge 17 on Secret Crafter the topic is 'at the zoo', so I've combined them in this card.

The papers are Dovecraft and the giraffe is a Rubbadubbadoo stamp watercoloured.

I've used tiny buttons in the centres of the primas to make a change from gems or brads, so this is another card for One Stop Craft 14 challenge to use buttons or bows.

Man card

I've glanced over at Raspberry Ribbons a few times, but this is the first time I've taken part in the challenge, which this week is sketch 14:

The background paper of this card is HOTP. The stamped image was another one I got in a blog prize and I coloured it with copics, simply added ribbon, ric rac and buttons:

This card is good for a couple of other challenges:

Lili of the Valley challenge 17: men and last week's Sunday Stamper challenge 44: blue. Also for One Stop Craft 14: buttons and bows (one or the other).

Have a cool day

Challenge 37 on A Spoonful of sugar this week is sketch by Tina46:

I've used K & Co Berry Sweet papers and a stamped image that I received as part of a blog challenge prize (sorry, I don't know what it is - perhaps someone can tell me, please) - I coloured it with copics.

I'm linking this card for Stamp Something's challenge: Summer in winter somethings, and also for Crafty Muse challenge: something sweet.

Unusual subject

I found a challenge blog called Awfully Big Art Adventure and the topic on there this week is: 'something to crow about'

I've combined this with this week's BG challenge 20 to use the following sketch:

I love doing the BG challenges because it always gives me a chance to play with some of my favourite papers, Scarlet's Letter being one of my favourite collections, so all the papers on this card are from that range and the crow image was printed from clipart, swiped with versamark and clear embossed (which isn't apparent on the scan).

More love in the air!

This card is my Valentine for John (gosh, it's done early this year!). I used the sentiments paper by DCWV and a piece of BG two scoops on the right hand side, plus a couple of strips of ribbon. The 'I followed my heart' sentiment was done on computer.

The hearts are chipboard, so I'm submitting the card for Deanne's challenge 20 on Rosiedee this week.

I swiped the chipboard hearts with versamark and covered in UTEE to give a bit more body. I then (with difficulty, because the hearts were thick) ran then through my big shot with the D'vine swirls Cuttlebug embossing folder. I then swiped all over with an ink red pad, covered with clear embossing powder and heated. Because the UTEE was underneath the embossing, when I heated the top layer, some of the base layer melted a bit more and blended the swirls. I didn't intend to do this, but quite like the effect, even though it was a mistake.

As I used the Cuttlebug embossing folder, this card fits the love theme on the Cuttlebug challenge this week.

The challenge on Created by hand this week is to use a love quote, so I've done this - and last week's challenge on there was to use red or pink, so, even though it's officially late, I'm linking for that also.

OCC this week has the theme of 'crazy for hearts', so I think it fits this - although I didn't do any actual stamping, I used embossing powders and inks, so I hope it qualifies.

And last, but not least, Arty Girlz challenge 71 is red and white, so this fits there too.